Vehicle-spring.



E.L.BART0N.

VEHICLE SPRING.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.14,1907.

923, 1 07. Patented May 25, 1909.

' )VJZ/ 27% Walk 7 fl E] E Witness rm: NORRIS PETERS co., wAsnmd-ran, n. c

Specification of Letters Patent.

. ERNEST L. BARTON, OF CHESTER, SOUTH CAROLINA.

VEHICLE-SPRING.

Patented May 25, 1909.

Application filed December 14, 1907. Serial No. 406,542.

and useful Improvements in Vehicle-Springs,

of which the following is a specification, ref

' erencebeing had to the accompanying drawl\l[y invention relates to'improvements in vehicle springs.

The object of the invention is to provide a spring gear for buggies, runabouts and similar vehicles, which will have both the shorter and thefull length side spring effect so that the device will be exceedingly strong and rigid and at the same time sufiiciently elastic to give the proper spring to the body of the vehicle.

With the above and'otherobjects in view,

the invention consists of the novel features of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying i i The clips 14comprise U-shaped body pordrawings, in which Figurel 1s a plan view of my improved spring gear Fig. 2 is a detail transverse sectiontaken on the plane indicated by the line 2-42 in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a detail longitudinal section'taken on the plane indicated by the line 33 in Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a perspective viewof one of'the'c'lips.

In the drawings 1 and 2 denote, respectively, the front and rear axles ofavehicle and 3 denotes a longitudinal resilient member or spring arranged between them and hung from them by suitable clips or fastenings '4. The longitudinal spring or member 3 is preferably centrally disposed and it may be in the form of a straight bar or a bar having a straight front portion and a rear portion forked toprovide diverging arms 5 as shown. The outer ends of the arms 5 are connected to the rear axle adjacent to its ends and their front ends unite in thestraight front portion of the spring or member at a point preferably, but not necessarily, midway the ength of the spring. i

6 denotes two substantially U-shaped resilientend members orsprings which are 0ppositely disposed and'have their central or cross portions 7 united to the longitudinal spring or member 3 by clips 8 or other fastenings. Each of the end'members or springs 6 has outwardly projecting arms 9 which are hung from the axles by clips or equivalent fastenings 10. Said springs or members 6 may be of any suitable construction but I preferably make them of three or four plies according to the strength needed to properly support the body of the vehicle, and 1 also preferably, but not necessarily, make the plies of the rear one slightly heavier as indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

1 1 denotes two short resilient side connecting members or springs which unite the central or cross portions 7 of the two end members and serve both as connecting bars and braces. These connecting members 11 are arranged on opposite sides of the central or longitudinal member 3, preferably as shown in Fig. 1, and at their ends are formed cross portions or arms 12 which are adapted to e11- gage the cross portions 7 of the members 6.

The side members or springs 1.1 are secured to the end members 6 by clips or equivalent fastening devices 13 arranged at the ends of the arms 12 and also by clips 14 arranged at the ends of the central or body portions of the members 11 as more clearly shown in Fig.

tions 15 and screw threaded stems. or shanks 16 which project from one side of said body ortions. The latter are adapted to emrace the portions 7 of the members 6 immediately beneath the members 11 and the threaded stems 16 are passed upwardly through apertures in said members 11 to receive clamping nuts 17. The clips 14 are further secured to the members 6, 11. and the latter are more firmly united by passing bolts or similar fastenings 18 vertically through said parts as more clearly shown in Fig. 2. By providing the clips 14 and securing them as ilustrated it will be seen that the members 6, 11 will be securely united in a simple and inexpensive manner. The members 11 have their extremities extended beyond the cross portions or arms 12 and apertured as at 19 to receive fastenings which unite the spring to the vehicle body.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the arrangement of the two oppositely disposed substantially U-shaped end members 6 upon the central member 3 and the arrangement of the short connecting members 11 between said end members, will give the gear both the short and the full length side spring effect, and that it eliminates the wriggling motion incident to the usual short side spring gear and produces a structure that is much stronger and more elastic than the usual full length side spring gear. It will be further noted that this improved springgear is exceedingly strong and rigid but at the same time gives the proper resiliency or spring to the vehicle body.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. In a s ring gearing of the character de scribed, a ongitudinal member, end members having central portions united to the longitudinal member in spaced relation and provided with outwardly projecting arms, connecting members arranged between the central portions of the end members and on opposite sides of the longitudinal member, said connecting members and end members being in the form of flat bars engaged with each .otherand havingaliningapertures, the

connecting members having other apertures adjacent to the edges of the end members, the clips 14 having *flat U-shaped body portions engaged with the end members, the connecting or central portion of the bodies of the clips being formed with apertures to aline With the first mentioned alining apertures and one of the ends-or arms of each of said clips being formed with a projecting'screw threaded stud to pass through the last mentioned apertures in the connecting members, nuts engaged with said screw threaded studs, and transverse fastenings passed through said alining apertures in the connecting members, the end members, and .the body portions of said. clips, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a spring'gear of the character described, front and rear axles, end members of substantiallyU-shape havingtheir cross or connecting portions spaced.:apart and their arms or ends projecting in opposite directions, the arms of one member-being united to the front axle and the arms of the other member to the rear axle, connecting members between the spaced cross portions of the end-members, and a longitudinal member having its rear end forked to provide diverging portions united to the rear axle at points between the center of the latter and the arms of the adjacent end member, said longitudinal member being united at its front to the front axle and at intermediate points to the cross portions of the end members, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a spring gear of the character described, a longitudinal member, oppositely disposed end members having their central portions united to the central member in spaced relation and formed with arms adapted to provide short side springs, and a con necting member arranged between the end members on each side of the central member.

4. In a spring gear of the character described, a longitudinal-member, oppositely disposed substantially U-shaped end members having their central or cross portions secured to the central member in spaced relation and having their arms forming side springs, and connecting members arranged between the central or cross portions of the end members, one of the connectingmenr bers being arranged on each side of the central member.

5. In a spring gear of the character described, a longitudinal resilient member or spring arranged between the front and rear axles, oppositely disposed U-shaped resilient end members or springs having their central or cross portions united to the central memher in spaced relation and having their arms forming side springs and united to the front and rear axles, and connecting members arranged between the central or-cross portions of the end members and formed with arms engaged with and secured to said portions of the end members, substantially asset forth.

In testimony whereofI hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ERNEST L. BARTON.

VJitnesses O. O. EDwARDs, HELEN H001). 

